Tooth paste dispenser

ABSTRACT

An improved toothpaste dispenser is disclosed that has an oblong dispensing aperture that dispenses a length of tooth-paste equal to the length of the toothbrush bristles in a single squeeze without moving the toothpaste dispenser along the brush. A tube squeezer is disclosed that assists in the moving of toothpaste within the tube towards the aperture end of the dispensing tube. Further, to assist in keeping the toothpaste toward the aperture end of the tube the dispensing tube is stored in a vertical position by means of a flat cover.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

This invention relates to an improved toothpaste dispenser. People on adaily basis almost universally use tooth-paste dispensers. Theseimprovements can be used for any type of toothpaste. Further, theseimprovements can be used for other products that are packaged indispensing tubes and pumps. The current toothpaste dispenser has acircular aperture through which the toothpaste is dispensed when thetube is squeezed or a pump is pressed. This makes the individual usermove the dispenser along toothbrush bristles to get the requiredamount/length of toothpaste deposited onto the toothbrush. In theinvention herein disclosed, the aperture is oblong with a lengthapproximately equal to the length of the toothbrush bristles. Theindividual places the aperture parallel to the toothbrush bristles andwith one squeeze of the tube dispenses the required amount of toothpasteonto the toothbrush bristles. There is no necessity to transverse thetube along the toothbrush bristles. This ergonomic friendly tube iseasier to use, which is important for the elderly and younger childrenwho do not have good coordination.

Since the plastic tube has replaced the metal tube almost universally inthe market place, it has been difficult to empty the contents of thetube. With the metal tubes, individuals would roll the end of the tubeforcing the toothpaste to the aperture end of the tube. They wouldcontinue to roll the end of the tube until there were no contents in thetube. The current plastic tubes do not allow the individual to roll upthe end of the tube because the tube springs back to the original shape.Thus it is difficult for the individual to empty the toothpaste tube. Inthe invention disclosed herein the tube contents are emptied by acombination of a cap that the tube is stored on in the vertical positionand the use of a tube squeezer that transverses along the tube andforces the contents of the tube toward the aperture. The tube squeezerflattens the tube such that the two sides of the tube walls contact oneanother forcing the toothpaste within the tube toward the aperture. Thetube squeezer remains in a fixed location after it transverses along thetube because of the brake strip of rubber along the blades that contactsthe outer surface of the tube. Further, to improve the emptying of thetube, the tube is stored vertically on its cap. This allows thetoothpaste within the tube to drain toward the aperture end. Thisstorage position also uses less shelf space and the tube is easier tograsp in this position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is an improved toothpaste dispenser with a flexible tubeof an oval or round shape with walls of appropriate diameter and lengthto create a cavity to hold the product to be dispensed. The tube taperstowards one end where the walls are crimped or welded such that wallsmeet and create a plane. The end of the tube opposite from the crimpedend is closed with a flat or conical shaped top attached to the tubewalls. The tube has a dispensing neck with two ends, one end is attachedperpendicularly to the top of the tube with a passage way through thetop into the cavity. An oblong aperture is in the end of the dispensingneck opposite from the end attached to the top. The tube has a means toenclose the dispensing neck.

The outside of the toothpaste tube passes through the tube squeezer withtwo blades, each blade having two edges, the blades are positioned suchthat the crimped end of the tube fits between the blades and the twoblades are angled such that there is less distance between the blades atthe edge that is closest to the crimped end of the tube. The blades ofthe tube squeezer are held in a fixed position by blade supportsattached perpendicularly to the blades. On the inner surface of eachblade is a brake strip made of a pliable sticky material. This stops thesqueezer from slipping down the tube.

The toothpaste tube can have various means to enclose the dispensingneck: a flat cap with internal friction lock within the cap that mesheswith external friction locks on the dispensing neck; a flat cap withinternal friction lock within the cap that meshes with external frictionlock on the tube; a flat hinged cap hinged to the dispensing neck suchthat the tube can be stored in the vertical position resting on thehinged cap; and a flat hinged cap hinged to the tube such that the tubecan be stored in the vertical position resting on the hinged top.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention the dimension of theoblong aperture in the end of the dispensing neck is equal or near equalto the length of the toothbrush bristles. The oblong aperture in the endof the dispensing neck can also be utilized with hard case or pliabletoothpaste dispensing pumps.

This invention discloses a method of dispensing toothpaste onto a brushwherein the toothbrush is parallel to the aperture in the dispensingneck of the toothpaste dispenser and the toothpaste dispenser dispensesa length of paste equal or near equal to the entire length of thetoothbrush bristles.

Further, this invention discloses a method of emptying a toothpaste tubeby use of a tube squeezer and a stand up tooth paste tube that rests onthe cap of the toothpaste tube in the vertical position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric drawing of the tube, top, cap and tube squeezer.

FIG. 2 is an isometric drawing of the tube with a molded top, cap andtube squeezer.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the top and removable cap.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the removable cap.

FIG. 5 is the top view of the top with the oblong aperture.

FIG. 6 is the side view of the top and hinged cap.

FIG. 7 is the top view of the top and the bottom view of the hinged cap.

FIG. 8 is the end view of the tube squeezer.

FIG. 9 is the top view of the tube squeezer.

FIG. 10 is the side view of the tube squeezer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 depicts the invention wherein the tube 6 has the flexible walls 6which are tapered to meet and are crimped or welded to close the end ofthe tube at 5. The tube squeezer 4 slips over the end of the tube 6 andcompresses the tube walls 1 together forcing the toothpaste within thetube toward the other end of the tube. The tube squeezer 4 transversesdown the tube as the contents of the tube are emptied. This figure alsoshows the top 7 that is connected to the tube walls 1. The dispensingneck 2 projects from the top 7. The cap 3 is shown in this figureremoved from covering the dispensing neck. When installed the cap 3covers the dispensing neck and the aperture contained therein andcreates a flat stable surface for the tube to rest upon.

FIG. 2 shows the preferred embodiment of the tube 6 with the top 7 andthe dispensing neck 2 molded in one piece with the tube walls 1.

FIG. 3 shows an alternate implementation of the top 7. In thisembodiment the top 7 is connected to the top of the tube by the thread8. The dispensing neck 2 extends from the top 7. The friction lock 10contained on the top edge of the top 7 connects with the friction lock11 of the cap 3 to secure the cap to the top. Within the cap 3 is areceiver 9 that has the same shape as the dispensing neck 2. FIG. 4shows the top view of the removable cap 7 wherein the dispensing neck 2creates the oblong aperture 13. The dimension of this aperture 13 shouldbe the approximate length of the toothbrush bristles that the toothpasteis to be deposited upon. This figure also depicts the threads 8 whichare used to connect the top to the tube. FIG. 5 shows the bottom view ofthe cap 3 with the receiver 12 that mates with the dispensing tube 2 inFIG. 3 covering the end and keeping the toothpaste clean and fresh.

FIG. 6 is the preferred embodiment of the top 7 and the cap 3. In thisembodiment these are hinged together by hinge 14. Because of this hingethe top and cap cannot become separated. When the cap 3 is closed thereceiver 12 mates with the dispensing neck 2. The threads 8 connect thetop 7 with the tube. The friction lock 11 in the cap 3 locks with thecorresponding friction lock 10 in the top 7 when the cap is closed. FIG.7 is the top view of the preferred embodiment of the top 7. The oblongaperture 13 is at the end of the dispensing neck 2. This aperture allowsfor the fast and accurate dispensing of the necessary amount oftoothpaste. The hinge 4 in FIG. 7 connects the top 7 to the cap 3. Thereceiver 12 has the same shape as the dispensing neck 2.

FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 show the tube squeezer 15. This consists of twoblades: upper blade 16 and lower blade 17 as shown in FIG. 8. Spacer 19separates these blades a fixed distance equal to the dimension of thecollapsed tube. An opening 18 is created between the two blades at leastas wide as the collapsed tube. The tube is inserted within the opening18 and the tube squeezer transverses towards the aperture along the tubemoving the contents within the tube in the same direction. FIG. 9 is atop view of the tube squeezer 15, which depicts the top blade 16. Theside view of the tube squeezer depicted in FIG. 10 shows that the upperblade 16 and the lower blade 17 are angled such that the distancebetween the blades is less at the exit end where the opening 18 is thanat the entrance end 19. Further, the upper and lower blades at theentrance end 19 are flared outwardly so as to accept the toothpaste tubeas the tube squeezer transverses. On the inner sides of the blades 19are the brake strips 20. These brake strips are made of a pliable stickymaterial such as a rubber product. These brake strips stop the tubesqueezer from slipping down the tube.

1. A flexible tube of an oval or round shape with walls of appropriatediameter and length to create a cavity to hold the product to bedispensed, and the walls taper towards one end where they are crimped orwelded such that they meet and create a plane; The end of the tubeopposite from the crimped or welded end is closed with a flat or conicalshaped top secured to the tube walls; A dispensing neck with two ends,one end is attached perpendicularly to the top with a passage waythrough the top into the cavity; An oblong aperture in the end of thedispensing neck opposite from the end attached to the top; the aperturelength being equal or near equal to the length of the toothbrushbristles; A means to enclose the dispensing neck. The same invention asin claim 1 wherein the top containing the dispensing neck is connectedto the tube by means of a thread connection.
 2. The same invention as inclaim 2 wherein the aperture has different shapes to accommodatedifferent viscosity pastes.
 3. The same invention as in claim 1 whereinthe means to enclose the dispensing neck is a flat cap such that thetube can be stored in the vertical position resting on the cap, the caphas an internal friction within the cap that meshes with a friction lockon the dispensing neck.
 4. The same invention as in claim 1 wherein themeans to enclose the dispensing neck is a flat cap such that the tubecan be stored in the vertical position resting on the cap, the cap hasan internal friction lock within the cap that meshes with externalfriction lock on the tube.
 5. The same invention as in claim 1 whereinthe means to enclose the dispensing neck is a flat hinged cap such thatthe tube can be stored in the vertical position resting on the hingedcap, the hinged cap is hinged to dispensing neck.
 6. The same inventionas in claim 1 wherein the means to enclose the dispensing neck is a flathinged cap such that the tube can be stored in the vertical positionresting on the hinged cap, the hinged cap is hinged to tube.
 7. The sameinvention as in claim 1 wherein the dimension of the oblong aperture inthe end of the dispensing neck is equal to the length of the toothbrushbristles.
 8. An improved hard case or pliable toothpaste dispensing pumpwith oblong aperture in the end of the dispensing neck.
 9. The sameinvention as in claim 8 wherein the dimension of the oblong aperture inthe end of the dispensing neck is equal or near equal to the length ofthe toothbrush bristles.
 10. A tube squeezer with two blades each bladehaving two edges, the blades are positioned such that the crimped end ofthe tube fits between the blades and the two blades are angled such thatthere is less distance between the blades at the edge that is closest tothe crimped end of the tube, the blades of the tube squeezer are held infixed position by blade supports attached perpendicularly to the blades,along the surfaces of the blade which contact the tube is a brake stripmade of a pliable sticky substance.
 11. A more efficient and ergonomicmethod of dispensing toothpaste onto a brush wherein the toothbrush isparallel to the aperture in the dispensing neck of the toothpastedispenser and the toothpaste dispenser dispenses a length of paste equalor near equal to the entire length of the toothbrush bristles.
 12. Amethod of emptying a toothpaste tube by use of a tube squeezer and astand up toothpaste tube that rests on the cap of the toothpaste tube inthe vertical position.
 13. An improved method of dispensing a fluid orpaste onto a toothbrush utilizing one or more of the followingimprovements: an oblong aperture, a hinged standup friction fit cap anda tube squeezer.